1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to funnel devices and more specifically it relates to a funnel with spill guard for preventing the contents of a liquid container from overflowing.
Liquid containers, such as liquid waste barrels, are often filled utilizing a conventional funnel. Some funnels have threaded ends for threadably engaging a threaded female nipple of the container. During filling, if the user does not observe the level of fluid within the container by looking into the container through the funnel or pulling the funnel out, the liquid within the container will often times overflow from within the drum onto the upper and side surfaces of the container. Hence, there is a need for a funnel device that reduces the chances of overflowage during filling of a container.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Funnel devices have been in use for years. Typically, a funnel device has a broad upper open end that tapers to a narrow nozzle portion that is insertable into a fluid container. The user typically inserts the fluid or waste into the broad end where after it is dispensed through the narrow nozzle portion.
During filling, the fluid fills the fluid container until the fluid level rises above the upper surface of the container where after the fluid escapes through the threaded opening of the container. If the user has a funnel with a threaded nozzle portion, then the fluid reaches the upper surface of the container and terminates filling the container however the funnel retains a significant amount of fluid that must be drained out prior to removing the funnel to prevent spillage.
While these devices may be suitable for the particular purpose to which they address, they are not as suitable for preventing the contents of a liquid container from overflowing. Conventional funnel devices are extremely prone to overflowage thereby creating an extremely dirty exterior of the container and potentially contaminating the environment surrounding the container with hazardous chemicals.
In these respects, the funnel with spill guard according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of preventing the contents of a liquid container from overflowing.